Tiltable heat exchanger



Oct. 17, 1961 c. A. SIEMER TILTABLE HEAT EXCHANGER Filed March 2, 1959HORIZONTAL PLAN E b FIG. I.

INVENTOR. CARLETON A. SIEMER BY WZ/k; W/VW his ATTORNEYS.

United mtes atent O" 3,004,545 'TILTABLE HEAT EXCHANGER Carleton A.Sterner, Babylon, N.Y., assignor to Fairchild Stratus -Corporation, acorporation of Maryland Filed Mar-. 2, 1959, Ser. No. 7%,485

' 2 Claims. (Cl. 137-68) This invention relates to a tiltable heatexchanger, and more particularly to a heat exchanger having a pluralityof ports equipped with gravity actuated flap valves which operateautomatically to vent a port at an upper level and prevent the liquidwithin the heat exchanger from draining out of a port at a lower levelwhen the heat exchanger is tilted.

In one conventional type of heat exchanger, a fluid is brought intoout-of-contact heat exchange relationship with a liquid within a chamberof the heat exchanger. In heat exchangers of this type, the chamber isprovided With a port through which the liquid is introduced into thechamber of the heat exchanger and through which vapors are exhausted.

While heat exchangers of this type are suitable when operated in fixedorientation with the ground, they are unsatisfactory for installation inships or aircraft which do not always hold to a level course. Forexample, if

. a conventional heat exchanger of the type described were to be mountedin an airplane, a substantial quantity of the liquid would drain out ofthe chamber through the port or ports thereof if the airplane were to gointo a steep dive or climb. This situation cannot be satisfactorilyremedied simply by closing 01f the port or ports when the liquid is notbeing introduced into the chamber because there must still be provisionfor permitting steam or other gases that collect inside of the chamberto escape.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a heat exchangerwhich can be satisfactorily operated at different orientations withrespect to the ground.

This object is achieved in the present invention by a heat exchangerhaving a liquid chamber provided with at least two normally open portsspaced apart near opposite ends of the chamber and equipped with gravityactuated valves for the ports which operate automatically to close theport at the lower level and open the port at the higher level when theexchanger is tilted endwise to a steep angle. Thus, no liquid is lostthrough the lower port and the upper port continues to permit filling orventing of the chamber.

For a complete understanding of the present invention, reference can bemade to the following detailed description and to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view partially in section of a heat exchanger constructedaccording to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view partially in section of the heat exchanger in atilted position;

FIGURE 3 is a view taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view of the hinged cover shown in FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a view taken along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4.

The structure shown in FIGURE 1 includes a relatively long shell 11having a port near each end through which a liquid can be introducedinto the chamber within the shell. The ports are defined by internallythreaded collars 12 and 13 adapted to receive the threaded ends ofconduits 14. A tube bank 15 through which another fluid passes in atortuous path in out-of-contact heat exchange relationship with theliquid in the chamber is ice fastened internally within the shell 11 bya plurality of braces 16. The inlet and discharge ends of the tube bankare connected to a pair of couplings '17 which are in communication withthe source of fluid to be circulated through the tube bank. Indescribing the heat exchanger herein, it will be assumed that a coolantis introduced into the shell 11 to receive heat from a fluid at highertemperatures flowing through the tube bank 15.

As best shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, a gravity actuated flap valve 18 ishingedly mounted within the shell 11 adjacent each of the ports by abracket 20 and a pin 19 which is inserted through eyes formed in theflap valve and the bracket. The flap valves are hinged to opposite sidesof their respective ports in such fashion that the hinge for aparticular flap valve is on the side of the port opposite the nearestend of the shell, or stated another way, on the side of the port nearestthe center of the shell.

An angular rod 21 having an adjustable weight 22 fastened to it by ascrew 23 is welded to the free end of each flap valve 18 for the purposeof adjusting the speed at which the flap valves will open and close. Therod 21 attached to the end of each flap valve 18 is bent at an angle sothat the weight 22 will provide a turning movement about the axis ofrotation of the flap valve even when the flap valve is in closedposition. In this manner, a tight fit is maintained which insuresagainst leakage. The position of the weight 22 is made variable so thatthe magnitude of this turning movement and the rapidity with which theflap valves respond can be varied. The angular disposition of the rod 21also enables the weight to be carried by the flap valve laterally ofisetfrom the inner side of the flap valve when the flap valve is in closedposition. This disposition of the weight shifts the center of gravity ofthe flap valve to insure closing of the flap valve even when the heatexchanger is tilted to positions short of a vertical position. A stop 24may be welded to the shell 11 behind each flap valve to prevent the flapvalve from opening too far and contacting the tube bank.

During the operation of the apparatus as a heat exchanger, the couplings17 are fastened to a source of fluid to be cooled and the collars 12 and13 are fastened to coolant conduits. When the heat exchanger is in thenormal horizontal position as shown in FIGURE 1, both of the flap valves18 are open and allow the coolant to enter the chamber within shell 11or to permit venting of the chamber within the shell. The coolant in theshell is usually automatically maintained at the proper level by meanswhich are not relevant to this invention. If from this horizontalposition the heat exchanger is tilted to the position shown in FIGURE 2,the lowermost flap valve closes automatically by gravity, preventingloss of the fluid from the shell through the port at the lower level.However, the uppermost flap valve remains open to permit steam or othervapors to be vented.

While a particular embodiment of the present invention has been shownand described for purposes of illustration, it is apparent that changesand modifications may be made without departing from this invention inits broader aspects. Therefore, the invention described herein is not tobe construed as limited to the specific embodiment described, but isintended to encompass all modifications thereof which come within thescope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A tiltable heat exchanger comprising a housing having a chamber for aliquid therein, at least two ports spaced apart in the upper region ofthe chamber, a gravity-actuated flap valve for each of the ports, meanshingedly mounting the flap valves for the ports to said 3 shell adjacentopposite sides of their respective ports in such fashion that the hingefor each flap valve is on the side of the port opposite the nearest endof the shell, whereby when the shell is ,,tilted endwise the force ofgravity will pivot the flap valve for the port at the lower level'toclosed position, maintaining the flap valve for the port at the upperlevel open, and a weight carried by each of the flap valves, each weightbeing adjustable with respect to the hinged mounting for the flap valve.

2. A tiltable heat exchanger as set forth in claim 1 flap valve beyondthe free end thereof.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Van Alstine Dec. 4, 1888 Bruckmann July 29, 1902Flanders Apr. 25, 1916 Manley July 9, 1918 Wilson Feb. 8, 1949 StewartDec. 18, 1956 Carroll May 28, 1957 Kseiski Aug. 5, 1958 Eshbaugh Feb.24, 1959

